For the second year, we put up a Lionel train - but after doing a simple oval on the floor last year, with the help of Uncle Bill, we put up a 5x9 table complete with an overpass. The whole train thing starts and ends with my father who has had trains throughout his whole life. In fact, he has the locomotives from when he was just a little kids still! Each year, at Christmastime, he would pull them out and we'd run them around the Christmas tree or in the basement. That was until I became a teenager and I lost interest. Fast forward 15 years and when Ellie was born, my dad gave me my own train set. With a little help from his basement stash of train cars and buildings, I began to build our own line. For the first time this year - as an almost three year old - Ellie showed A LOT of interest.
It has been a lot of fun as she learned how to run the train. We even went to Bass Pro Shop to see Santa in December where they had a Lionel set displayed that wasn't moving. Eloise ran right up to the transformer, threw one of the controls forward and the train moved. She had a HUGE smile on her face!
My dad has gifted each of my nephews with a similar set that he gave us and they've all taken to them and pull them out at holiday time. It's a neat tradition.
I'm really thankful for the memories I have with my dad and 'his train', and I'm hopeful that my girls will have fond memories of 'our train' as they grow up.
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